The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Renaming of Federal Building appropriate tribute

In the world of Washington politics, where it often seems politicians care more about polling numbers and fund-raising totals than the people they represent, the late Sen. Paul Simon was a breath of fresh air.

The recent decision to name the Carbondale Federal Building in his honor is a small but appropriate way to honor his lifelong commitment to our area's people.

The son of Lutheran missionaries, Simon moved to Southern Illinois to become a newspaper publisher at 19 and was quickly adopted as one of the region's favorite sons.

He made the most of his popularity by being elected to the Illinois Legislature in 1954 and serving in the U.S. Senate from 1984 until his retirement in 1997, solidifying a reputation not only for his signature bow-ties but for being one of the most honest and principled politicians in the country.

After his retirement from the Senate, Simon could have used his clout to get a prestigious, high-paying job at a Washington think tank or Ivy League school. But, in another example of his commitment to Southern Illinois, he chose to return home to establish the Public Policy Institute here at SIU.

The renaming of the Federal Building is particularly apt because Simon never gave up on his optimism that the federal government can be a force for good.

"Government is not the enemy," he said in his 1988 presidential campaign. "Government is simply a tool that can be used wisely or unwisely. We can do better, my friends."

Southern Illinois will have a hard time ever doing better than Paul Simon, but perhaps when we pass the Sen. Paul Simon Federal Building, we will remember what he stood for and do our part to make him as proud of us as we were of him.

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